It may have been that, the complications of the twisty Hungaroring, or (more likely) good old-fashioned bad luck, but Webber found himself out in Q2, as he got shuffled down the order into 11th, as the time ran out. He was joined in his misery by Schumacher in 17th. At least Mark’s weekend improved... Michael must have been kicking black cats again.
This meant both Williams cars made the top 10 for the first time this year, Senna never having made it into Q3 before. Hamilton had been dominant in claiming pole, but that smiley scamp Grosjean was 2nd, ahead of Vettel, with championship leader Alonso just 6th.
It seemed possible that rain might disrupt race day, so it was all looking rather exciting for Sunday...
And then, on race day, it didn’t rain – and it wasn’t that thrilling a race, although it was certainly tense.
An aborted start saw puzzled drivers being waved off for a 2nd parade lap, whilst Schumi was wheeled into the pit lane. Just like when he was winning, he really goes for it. 17th on the grid, then starting from the pit-lane. He wasn’t finished with the bad luck yet, either.
When they finally did get away, Vettel made a valiant attempt to take 2nd from Grosjean, but instead found himself passed by Button.
Michael’s luck cut-in again, as he received a drive-through... for speeding in the pit lane.
By lap 8, Hamilton had settled into a 2.2 second lead over Grosjean, who was doggedly clinging on to 2nd, and things stayed pretty static until lap 16, when Jenson was first of the front-runners to pit, followed 2 laps later by Vettel, with positions remaining the same.
Hamilton’s stop a lap later was a slow(!) 4.2 seconds, but when Grosjean called in for a wheel change and a Mars bar, his was another 0.7 slower, so again, nothing changed.
On lap 31, Vettel was tucked up behind Button and bizarrely radioed his team to say “I can go much faster than him – do something!” to which the team politely replied that they were looking into it, rather than the more sensible answer of “No, YOU do something about it, Mister multi-million pound contract 2 World Championships pointy-fingered man!”. Grosjean, meanwhile, sneaked into DRS range of Hamilton for a few laps.
At half distance, Button pitted in an attempt to defend himself from Vettel, but managed to come back out behind a slower Senna. His team mate, although leading, felt the need to complain about something, so helpfully pointed out that the back-markers were holding him up. Can’t think why, Lewis. You’re normally so cheerful.
Kimi started bunging in fastest laps and closing in on The Sebulator, and Grosjean again got within DRS range of Happy Hamilton, but not close enough to make a move. Vettel pitted on lap 39 and got out ahead of a held-up-by-Bruno Button, and Grosjean did likewise on lap 40, followed in another lap later by Hamilton – positions unchanged as a result.
The Kimster headed pitwards on lap 46, and rejoined level with his team-mate, the two duelling it out around the corner, Grosjean eventually running out of track as Kimi doggedly held his line. Knowing Grosjean, he was probably still smiling though.
Maldonad’oh, probably realising he hadn’t been in trouble for nearly a week, clumsily knocked di Resta off track, earning himself the obligatory drive through penalty.
Vettel made a surprise late stop on lap 59, returning in 4th place, whilst Kimi was busy closing on Hamilton. A lap later, Schumi finally called in to the garage to park the car, before getting hit by a falling grand-piano out the back of the garage, as he walked under a ladder. (I may have made that last bit up, but I don’t think he’d have been surprised if it had happened.)
Lewis kept his cool, maintaining the gap to Kimi just enough to prevent the Finn from using his DRS, and even though he briefly got in range, Hamilton was comfortably heading for his second win of the season.
Grosjean was a creditable 3rd, showing how well the grinning one is performing this year, and with Alonso only 5th and Webber 8th, the front end of the championship is closing up nicely.
Now all we have to do is wait 5 weeks. Bah.
(Spot of Marillion? Why not. The first non-Fish album is in the player - Seasons End.)
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